


Surviving the Struggle

by PrincessSophiaIsobel



Series: Death of a Prince [1]
Category: Prince of Tennis
Genre: Anger, Death, Gen, Regrets, Sorrow, disbelief
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-20
Updated: 2013-01-20
Packaged: 2017-11-26 06:43:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 20
Words: 10,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/647699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincessSophiaIsobel/pseuds/PrincessSophiaIsobel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was a sunny Thursday morning. No one could have seen it coming. No one could have predicted it. Who would have ever thought that Ryoma Echizen would pass away so early? The reactions of Tezuka, Fuji, Oishi, Eiji, Kawamura, Inui, Momoshiro and Kaidoh when they heard the news about Ryoma. Even as a team, they took it differently. This is their story. This is how they found out. And this is how they tried to survived the struggle.</p><p>Includes the reactions from other teams as well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Tezuka Ought To Know

Tezuka’s P.O.V. 

It was a sunny Thursday morning.

I woke up, feeling a bit unsettled.

It was like something had happened and I was about to find out why.

I quickly took a shower and hurried to put on my school uniform. As I glanced at my table clock, it read “7:20AM”. I was ten minutes earlier than usual. Strange I thought. I grabbed my school bag and went downstairs. I poured myself a glass of juice and the left for school.

As I stepped out of my home, a gust of wind passed by. Even the wind seemed uneasy. I tried to gather my wits as I was walking to school. I felt that something was terribly off. Everything around me was just as disturbed as I was. “I wonder if something big happened?” I asked myself.

As I entered the school gates, all eyes seemed to be looking at me. The students whispered to each other with expressions of sadness and sorrow in the eyes. I wanted to ask someone why they were acting the way they did but the bell rang and everyone started to enter the school building.

I walked slowly, trying to recall any problem that might have leaked out to the school body. After entering my classroom and sitting down on my chair, I couldn’t think of any.

The whole morning was full of stolen glances and whispers.

I did my best to brush it all aside and concentrate on my studies.

“He doesn’t seem to care at all.” One girl whispered to another. 

“And to think he was his captain.” A boy answered her back.

When lunch finally came, I patiently waited for the homeroom teacher to leave the room.

Then I finally snapped.

I slammed my hands on my table which startled everyone in the class.

“I would like to know why all of you have been stealing glances at me and whisper to one another as you look away.” My voice was cold and stern.

No one spoke for what seemed like forever.

Until a girl moved forward, away from her friends.

“Haven’t you heard? Ryoma Echizen died this morning.” She said nervously, afraid as if I would bite her.

I stood there, taking in what she just said.

“…Echizen died...this morning…” her voice kept ringing in my head.

I stood there, frozen.

Then the wind passed by again, as if to tell me, “Now you know.”


	2. Fuji's Awakening

It was 7:20am, Thursday morning.

I was still in my bedroom, lying down on my bed with my brother Yuuta banging on my door, yelling.

“Nii-chan?! Do you hear me?”

To be honest, I couldn’t hear anything at all.

After reading a text message from Momoshiro, it was like the whole world stood still.

I couldn’t move, I could speak, and I almost forgot how to breathe.

All my senses were in disarray.

Momo’s Text Message:

~Fuji-senpai, I went to Echizen’s house to pick him up as usual. 

But according to Samurai Nanjiro, Echizen wont’ be coming to school anymore. 

He is asleep and won’t be waking up again.~

“Echizen is dead…” was all I could say as Yuuta stood by my door.

He fell down, his knees shaking so hard. He was lost for words as I was.

For some reason, I felt numbed.

“I wonder if Tezuka knows…” I asked out loud, not really hoping for an answer.

Yuuta stood up and left me alone to think in peace.

The idea of Echizen dead hadn’t really reached its full impact on me yet.

I was hoping for a second message from Momo saying “Gotcha, Fuji-senpai” or “Just kidding”.

I was thinking of torturing him if he was really just joking.

I patiently waited for the second message, wanting the first one to be nothing but a prank.

Something in my heart kept telling me I was waiting for nothing but I didn’t listen.

It was almost 8am so I decided to not go to school. I didn’t feel like it.

My sister didn’t argue. Yuuta must have told her something.

I made it a point to clean my room. And later on the rest of the house. 

As I was rummaging through the refrigerator, my phone rang, breaking the silence that had engulfed the whole house.

I had placed it on the counter top.

I slowly went to the counter where my phone was.

My hand was trembling as I reached out to grab my phone.

Tezuka’s name appeared on the screen.

Instead of feeling a little relieved, I felt even worse.

As I opened the message, I soon came to regret doing so.

~Fuji, Echizen’s dead.~

Then, after four hours, it finally sank in.

Echizen was really gone and Momo wasn’t joking.


	3. The Type of Date Inui Didn't Expect

I was busy reading my data about yesterday's practice match.

Ryoma seemed to have improved quite a lot over a few short weeks after the Regional Competition.

As I glanced up to check the time, it was 7:20am, Thursday.

The sky was sunny but the wind that entered my room seemed eerie.

I left my house and quietly walked to school. Hoping to run into someone I knew.

My senses told me that the wind was still eerie even as I approached to school gates.

"7:45am" I read the time on my watch.

I still had fifteen minutes to run to the locker room and leave my bag before my first class began.

As I rounded the corner, I saw Momoshiro talking to Eiji.

Judging from the visage of Eiji, whatever Momoshiro was telling Eiji, it was serious.

I decided to not interrupt, seeing as it seemed important.

So I made my way to my classroom with my heavy bag.

I students that passed me by seemed to be glancing his way, whispering to one another about something.

"I wonder what they are all talking about." I mentally asked myself.

As I sat on my chair, next to the window, the same wind passed by again.

It sent a cold shiver down my spine, like it was trying to tell me something.

**  
**

I carefully analyzed the data that was around me:

**  
**

1) Eerie wind

2) Stolen glances

3) Hushed whispers

**  
**

I then noticed that Fuji wasn't there.

I stood up and left the room, heading towards the faculty office.

I wanted to inform the teachers that Fuji wasn't around for some reason.

Even in the halls, the glances and whispers were there.

I saw a teacher who looked at me sympathetically, as if someone I knew died.

I knew it couldn't Fuji. Yuuta would have called us if something bad had happened to Fuji.

I slowly approached the faculty office, hearing murmurs and whispers inside.

The crack on the door made me listen even if I didn't want to.

"What is that true?"

"Yes, I got a call from his parents a few minutes ago."

"What happened to the child?"

"He died in his sleep."

This captured my attention.

A student had died and seemed to have made the faculty edgy.

"Do his friends know?"

"The coach was already told. She plans to tell them later during their practice."

"I wonder how they will take this."

"It depends. If the news reaches them from other people before their coach could tell them, they might be in shock."

As I patiently waited for the conversation to continue, I was dying of curiosity.

"Who was the student?" I asked myself silently.

"It's sad to know such news on a sunny day like this."

"He was still so young. To die at the age of 15?"

"Yes, it seems cruel. For Ryoma Echizen to die at such a young age."

"And to think, they just won the Regional's."

I frozed.

Did they just say Ryoma Echizen?

I couldn't think straight. My mind went into over drive.

Maybe I heard wrong.

It can't be. It couldn't be.

It was a joke. I know I have been much stressed this pass few days.

That's right. I simply heard wrong.

Without me noticing, the door in front of me opened.

The look on the faces of the teachers were sadness, sorrow and sympathy.

"We're sorry, Sadahara-kun." I heard a teacher spoke. I couldn't hear her much because I was too frozen to react.

Echizen had died in his sleep.

He wondered if what Momoshiro and Eiji were talking earlier was about Echizen too.

I couldn't make up my mind at that moment.

I wanted to run and scream to the top of my lungs.

I wanted to faint right then and there.

The wind passed by again, as if saying to me "Now you know as well."


	4. No Amount Of Burning Power Can Make It Better

I was on my way to school.

It was a Thursday morning, quite sunny to me.

I never thought that something bad had happened.

But something did.

I was already late for my first class and we had a long quiz.

I stayed up late last night to study.

I was hoping that I was going to pass it since we were told that it would make up one-fourth on our semester grade.

I wasn't a top student.

I knew that from the start of my freshmen year.

I was more of the average grade kid who just smiled at everyone.

"Have you heard?

"Heard what?"

"I student died today."

"What? Who?"

"I don't know who. Mizuki didn't tell me."

"Is the student someone we know?"

"Yeah. She said he was a member of the tennis team."

This statement made me freeze.

"A regular had died? How come no one told me? I wonder who it is?" I said to myself inside my mind.

I waited anxiously for lunch.

I wanted to know who died and why I wasn't told.

After three more subjects, the school bell rang for lunch.

I ran out the room and headed for the locker room, praying to run into s team member.

As I rounded the corner, I saw Inui by the door, hesitating to enter.

I wondered if he knew something.

"Hey Inui, hold on!" I called to him.

He snapped his head to my direction.

He seemed edgy this morning.

As I stopped and panted in front of him, his facial expression seemed torn and sorrowful.

"Inui, have you heard? They say that a Tennis team member died this morning. Do you know who?"

I saw him stiffened. His faced told me that he knew something.

"Oy! Inui! Tell me! Who died?" I yelled at him.

I grabbed his collar and shook him.

"Tell me god dammit!" I cursed.

"Echizen." He spoke.

I stopped shaking him.

"What?"

"Echizen. Echizen is dead. He died this morning. In his sleep." Inui said, trembling.

I fell on the round, not really knowing what to do first.

"It can't be. You're joking right? Right, Inui?" I said, trying to laugh.

As I looked up, I saw him shake his head.

"No Kawamura. Echizen is really dead." Inui told me before he entered to locker room.

I stayed there, on the ground.

Unable to move a muscle.

Echizen is dead.

Those three words kept ringing in my mind.

I cool wind blew by, trying to comfort me with the news that just broke me.


	5. Even Snake Like People Have Feelings

It was a sunny Thursday morning.

I was entering the school gate and was heading to the tennis club locker room.

I planned to have an early practice before my first class.

But on the way there, I saw Oishi-sempai standing by the door.

"That's odd." I thought to myself. "I wondered if something had happened."

As I jogged towards him, a cool but eerie gust of wind came at me.

I was not the type to believe in such things, but for some reason, I had a very bad feeling about today.

I wanted to shake the feeling away, hoping that nothing had happened.

"Ohayou gozaimas, Oishi-sempai." I bowed at my senior. He bowed back.

"Ohayou, Kaidoh. Have you seen Eiji?" he asked me, he looked a bit shaken up as well.

"Gomenasai, sempai. But I just got here." I explained as politely as I could.

I found it strange as well that there was no other regular there that morning.

I wanted to ask him if he had seen the others but the first bell rang.

I bid him good-bye and went into the building.

As I headed to my classroom, hoping to ask Momoshiro if he'd seen the other regulars.

However, when I got there, the idiot was nowhere to be seen.

Not that I was worried, but my bad feeling got worse.

The class began and I actually was starting worry, not that I would ever admit it to anyone. Not while I'm alive.

But just like me, Momoshiro had never missed class before. I wondered what kept him.

I was irritated the whole morning.

Not once did I hear news about anything.

Or from any of my teammates.

Even Momoshiro was absent.

When lunch break came, I ran to the locker room, hoping to bump into someone.

Just as I rounded the corner, I saw Kawamura-sempai on the ground.

He looked like he just got a very bad news.

My bad feeling slowly began to change into fear.

For some unknown reason, I didn't want to ask what had happened.

But I knew that I had to ask.

I slowly walked towards him, not wanting to startle him.

When I got closer, he knew someone was near him. He looked up and I saw the fire in my sempai's eyes die.

Something bad did happen.

"Kawamura-sempai? Daijobu desu ka?" my voice was trembling.

His eyes locked with mine, staring into the depth of my being.

"Echizen..." he began to speak but his voice was worst than mine.

"What about Echizen?" I asked and knew that what he would say next was going to alter my life.

"Echizen... Echizen is... Echizen had... Died. This morning. In his sleep." He said.

Echizen?

Dead?

I told myself I heard wrong.

"Eh, sempai? Did you just say that Echizen died?" I asked one more time, hoping I had heard wrong.

Kawamura slowly nodded, as if indicating that he wanted to be wrong.

I stood there, for what seemed like forever.

I admit that we were not close but when reality slapped me in the face, I felt a part of me vanished.


	6. People With The Happiest Laugh Have The Most Sorrowful Cry

It was a very lovely Thursday.

I was very energetic for some reason.

After a quick shower, I raced down to have breakfast.

I wanted to get to school early and surprise Oishi by actually being there before him.

I was already laughing in my mind, imagining his facial reaction when he sees me waving at him as he enters the school gates.

The wind was playful though it had a hint of sorrow in it.

I hopped happily into the school and as I waited for Oishi, I saw Momoshiro.

He looked shocked and torn between sorrow and grief.

I waited until he reached me, "Oy! Momo!" I enthusiastically waved at him.

When he looked up, the usual smile and burning purple eyes of his was replaced by a cold and dead looking one.

"Oy, Momo. Are you alright?" I asked him. He was acting very strange.

"Eiji-sempai. I need to talk to you." Even his voice was different.

I nodded and followed him as he walked towards our locker room.

I began to think about the possible things that he might tell me.

However, judging from his current state, I didn't have a solid theory.

I knew I just had to wait for him to talk.

He secured his bike first as I waited patiently for him.

Something inside me kept telling me that I was about to hear very devastating news.

Momo walked towards me and took a very deep breathe. Something was wrong.

I braced myself for the impact.

"It's about Echizen, Eiji-sempai." He began.

I wanted to smile but I didn't.

"What about o-chibi? Is he sick? Where is he? Don't you two come together to school?"

His fist tightened. That began to scare me.

"Did you have a fight with him, Momo-chan?" I tried to lift the mood.

It was too gloomy for me.

"Eiji-sempai, Echizen won't be coming to school anymore." His tone made me feel a cold shiver up my spine.

"What do you mean? Did he transfer? Why won't he come anymore? Did he and Tezuka fight?"

He shook his head; I knew it couldn't be that. Tezuka loved him. We all did.

I grabbed his collar, he was being very mysterious.

"Then why won't he come? Tell me, Momo!" I began to shake him.

When he held my arms, they were cold and trembling.

"Momo! Say it already! What happened to o-chibi?" I was getting mad.

"Eiji-sempai, Echizen died this morning." He said with a cold expression.

What?

O-chibi?

Dead?

"That's not a funny joke, Momo!"

"It's not a joke, Eiji-sempai. When I went to pick him up as I always did, his dad was waiting for me. When I got closer, it was when I say him in black. He told me that when his mother went to his room to wake him up, she found him cold. He had died in his sleep."

Those words were like loud sirens in my ears.

I fell on the ground, covering my ears tightly.

"No! You're lying! That's not true! O-chibi is not dead! He can't be!"

I knew I was screaming. I held myself tightly.

I screamed at the top of my lungs but I couldn't hear myself.

The loud sirens got even louder.

That was when I began to cry.

Momo wrapped his arms around me, trying to calm me down.

I cried and cried.

I cried not because Echizen was dead.

I cried because I knew I would never get to see, tease and hold Echizen again.

Not ever.


	7. Mother-Hens Have To Be Strong For Every Chick

It was a sunny Thursday.

I woke to be greeted by a cool eerie wind.

This made me feel a bit strange.

I quickly showered and left the house.

"I wonder if Eiji's already in school." I thought, and then I laughed.

The day Eiji would be early for school will be the day that pigs will grow wings and fly.

As I walk pass the school gates, I stood by the entrance to the wait for the redhead best friend of mine.

I watched as students bowed at me before they went inside the building.

I saw Kaidoh entering the school and was walking towards me.

"Ohayou gozaimas, Oishi-sempai." He bowed at me. I bowed back.

"Ohayou, Kaidoh. Have you seen Eiji?" I asked me, trying to hide my bas feelings.

"Gomenasai, sempai. But I just got here." he explained.

He bid me good-bye and entered the building.

Even Kaidoh seemed strange.

That was when I noticed the students were whispering as they pass me by.

I felt a little tingle of fear, "Did something happened?" I thought to myself.

The first bell rang but Eiji still wasn't there.

"Is he sick? Maybe he isn't feeling well." I thought.

I still could see the other students pass me by and whisper to each other.

I tried to not take notice.

Class began and Eiji didn't even come late.

I began to worry a little.

It was not like Eiji to be absent and not let me know.

The open window ushered in a cool breeze that made me shiver to my spine.

Oishi saw Inui walk by his classroom.

Oishi noticed that his face seemed distraught.

Usually, Inui would be holding a notebook and talk to himself about yesterdays matches.

However, today, he seemed to be grey.

His aura seemed to be torn between sorrow and grief.

I wanted to call out but my voice disappeared.

I couldn't seem to find my voice.

Now, I was so sure that something terrible did happen.

When lunch period came, I ran out the room, looking for any regular I could see.

I ran to the lower level and saw Tezuka by the window.

He looked he had heard a terrible news. Maybe the same one I was looking for.

"Tezuka..." I called out.

He slowly turned to look at me.

Then I saw it.

Tears were falling down from his eyes.

Tezuka

Crying

It didn't seemed to be like him at all.

"Tezuka... Why... Why are you crying?" I asked.

My voice was trembling and I didn't know why.

"I... Oishi..." he spoke but his voice seemed to be lower than usual.

For some strange reason, I reached out to hold his shoulders.

"Tezuka, what's wrong? Did something happened?"

He looked into my eyes.

His eyes that was full of tears.

"Oishi... Echizen...Echizen is..."

"What? What happened to Echizen? Is he sick?"

Tezuka shook his head.

"Then what happened to him? Inui has been acting strange as well. Please tell me what happened."

"I found out that... That Echizen... Echizen is dead. He died this morning."

His words made me want to faint.

I stood there, frozen with his words ringing through my ears again.

"Echizen? Dead? Are you sure?"

I didn't want to believe it.

Inui saw us and walked closer.

"I guess you both know too." He said.

Was that the reason why Inui was acting strange?

"You know too?" I asked.

He nodded.

"I overheard the faculty talking." He explained.

Tezuka wiped away his tears and straightened up.

I looked out the window, trying to grasp everything I just heard.

"We should go visit then." I said.

Both Inui and Tezuka nodded.

Echizen was dead.

That just...


	8. The Best Friend Got To Know First

I woke up earlier than usual.

It was a sunny day outside and for some reason; I didn't feel all too happy.

I felt a cold breeze come by, giving me a cold shiver down my back.

"Whoa... That's weird." I said out loud.

I jumped out of bed and went to the shower.

"Shampoo...Shampoo...Momoshiro shampoo." I sang.

I love to sing in the shower.

I always do.

I quickly dried myself and dashed to wear my school uniform.

"I wonder if Echizen is done already." I asked myself.

Knowing the freshman, the dark green haired boy must be waiting for me outside the gates of the Echizen house.

I grabbed a waffle and dashed out the door.

I jumped into my bike and paddled out, heading to Echizen's house.

On the way, I could feel something bizarre brewing in the air.

I didn't like the feeling that I had.

It made me think that I was heading straight into a very tragic incident.

I didn't mind accidents much. I was always prone to them.

But this one that has been next to me since I woke up, it made me really scare.

That is saying a lot since I don't easily get scare.

When I was near the house, I saw Samurai Nanjirou standing there, as if he was waiting for someone.

"Ohayou, Echizen-san!" I smiled as I greeted Ryoma's dad.

When I got closer, that was when I noticed that he was in all black.

My mind began to run wild.

Did something bad happen?

Did someone die?

If so, who died?

Is it someone he knew too?

Moreover, where was Ryoma?

"Eto, Echizen-san? Is Ryoma still here? I came to pick him up."

The older Echizen flinched at the name.

This confirmed my bad feeling.

Something bad did happen.

And it happened to Ryoma.

"Momoshiro, Ryoma won't be going to school anymore."

This statement froze me where I stood.

"His mom went to his room when he didn't wake up when his alarm sounded. She screamed so loud that until now, I can still hear her scream."

Unconsciously, I moved away from him.

I got on my bike and paddled fast.

Echizen is dead.

That's what Samurai Nanjirou said.

*FLASHBACK*

"He must have died in his sleep."

"No... Your joking right?"

He shook his head.

*End of Flashback*

I saw Eiji-sempai waving at me.

I knew I had to tell him the news.

I just didn't want to believe it.

But as I got closer to him, I knew everything I heard that morning was real.

"Oy! Momo!" My redheaded sempai enthusiastically called out to me, waving.

I looked up, I couldn't bring myself to return his smile.

"Oy, Momo. Are you alright?" He asked me.

"Eiji-sempai. I need to talk to you." I said, trying to be strong.

When I told him, he got mad.

But I knew they had to know.

"It's not a joke, Eiji-sempai." I told him and explained what Samurai Nanjirou had told me.

My sempai fell on the ground.

I entered the locker room, took off my clothes and went to the showers.

The cold water washed over me and then, my tears ran down like razor blades.

Echizen was gone.

I would never get to see him again.

I wouldn't see his cocky smile during practice.

I wouldn't get to hang out with him after school and practice, eating hamburgers.

"Echizen!" I yelled as I punched the wall.

The cold water continued to wash over me, mixing with the tears that I was shedding.


	9. Even Monkey King and Company Cares

Keigo was on his way to the tennis club locker room when his phone rang.

When he looked to see who it was, Tezuka's name appeared on the phone's screen.

He wondered why Tezuka would be calling him at twelve noon.

"Tezuka, what do I owe you for this call?" He asked, being sneery like he always was.

~Atobe... I just called to inform you that Echizen is dead.~ 

Tezuka said with a trembling voice.

"What? Are you serious? Because that isn't a nice thing to say about your Pillar of Support!" Keigo yelled.

~You know I never joke, Atobe. We'll be going to Echizen's house later after school. You and you team can come too.~

Tezuka told him before the line was cut off.

The Hyotei Captain stood there, like frozen in solid ice.

Kabaji touched his shoulder which snapped Keigo from his frozen state.

"Come Kabaji. I have terrible news to tell the others." He said.

"Osu." Kabaji replied.

Both arrived at the locker and saw everyone there, waiting.

Jirou, Oshitari, Gakuto, Ryo, Choutaro, and Hiyoshi were sitting around, looking tired from waiting.

Keigo and Kabaji entered the locker room and everyone turned to see him with a look of disbelief and sorrow.

"Oy, Atobe! Why did you make us come here?" asked Gakuto.

He was still hungry and wasn't able to finish his lunch.

"I called you here to have a meeting for the Regional Tournament. However, while Kabaji and I were on our way here, Tezuka called and brought me terrible news." He began.

Everyone felt a shiver up their spines.

"Did something happen at Seigaku?" asked Hiyoshi, not able to contain himself.

The silence was very nerve wrecking.

"Tezuka was kind enough to inform me that their Pillar of Support, that brat, Ryoma Echizen, died this morning." Keigo as he looked at his team.

Silence engulfed them and no one dared to break the ice.

The news was really a shocker for them.

It was true that they were never close to the kid but upon hearing about his death, they all felt like a part of their memory was suddenly ripped out.

"That's not a very nice joke, Atobe." Spoke Ryo, who seemed hopeful that the news was a joke.

They're captain remained quiet for a few moments, looking them all straight in the eyes.

"I'll be borrowing Tezuka's line, 'You know I never joke.' Besides, why would I joke about that brat's death when we're in the midst of training for the tournament?" he asked coldly.

Oshitari, Jirou, and Ryo knew that he was serious.

"That means I'll never get to have a rematch with him then." Hiyoshi spoke.

They could tell that he didn't mean much about the rematch.

He was talking about not being able to see Echizen again, let alone have a match with him.

"We should go visit. I know that we all weren't close to him, but we could at least pay our respects to him." Jirou said, shocking everyone.

It wasn't like him to suggest anything at time likes this or even be serious.

Keigo nodded and looked at everyone.

"Practices will go as usual for the non-regulars. Hiyoshi, go and find a way to contact St. Rudolph and Josei Shonan. Tell them what happened. And tell them that we'll all be visiting Echizen after school. Give them directions if necessary."

"Hai." Hiyoshi nodded and left.

"Choutaro, get a hold of Fudomine's Tachibana-san. Tell him about Echizen and that Tezuka said they'd be visiting later after school. He probably knows where the address is."

"Hai, Atobe-san." Choutaro ran out the room.

"Ryo, call up Yamabuki and find Mikaya Banda, their coach. I'm sure he'll tell Sengoku and that Echizen look alike about the news. Tell them the schedule for visit as well."

Ryo simply nodded and walked out the locker room.

"Oshitari, call up Rokkaku and find Aoi Kentaro, their freshman captain. You know what to tell him."

"Shall I call up the American Team as well?" he asked.

"If you can, please do so." Keigo replied.

Oshitari took out his cellphone as he headed outside.

"Jirou, go to the flower shop and order chrysanthemums. A dozen will do."

The boy slowly stood up and nodded.

Jirou was always the most sensitive of them.

"Kabaji, you handle the non-regulars while I call up Rikkaidai, Shitenhoji, and Higa."

"Osu," Kabaji answered and left.

Keigo Atobe, took a moment to breath and reflect on the news that he was about to share to the other three schools.

"If it weren't Echizen, I might not be doing this at all." He told himself as he called up the first one on his list.

For some reason, everything felt so wrong.

'Why did the brat have to die so young?'

'Why did he have to leave so many people to mourn for him?'

So many questions floating about his head but he knew the answer to them all.

It wasn't Echizen's fault.

He didn't choose to die.

Death chose him.

And it made Keigo feel cold and sorrowful.

He pulled out his phone from his pocket and looked for Sanada's number.

"Hello? Atobe? What reason do you have for calling?" said the voice from the other line.

"Tezuka called me earlier and brought bad news. I just wanted to bring the news to you too." He said.

"What news could that be that Tezuka would bother sharing it with you?" asked Sanada.

"Echizen Ryoma is dead. And we'll be visiting his home later." Keigo said.

Silence...

Then the line was cut.

Atobe knew that tonight was going to be full of sorrow.

And he might actually cry.

Yes, he would cry.

Only because it was Echizen.


	10. Even The Gods Can Feel

When Sanada heard what Atobe said, silence had engulfed him.

He unconsciously ended the call and stood at the corner of their gym, frozen in the thought.

Yukimura walked over to him as he saw Sanada spacing out, with his phone still in his hands.

"Sanada, are you alright? Who called?" Yukimura asked softly.

Sanada slowly turned to his captain, sorrow starting to build in his eyes.

"You better gather the regulars, bad news from Seigaku."

Yukimura froze.

'Bad news? It must be terrible to make Genichiro be this disoriented.' Yukimura thought to himself.

After ten minutes, the regulars were gathered at the locker room.

"Everyone, Sanada has news to share." The captain spoke and everyone turned to the vice-captain.

The silence was a bit strange and Kirihara was being to get agitated.

"Sanada-san? What news is it about?" he asked, dared to break the ice.

"Ryoma Echizen of Seigaku is dead. Atobe called and informed me that Tezuka called him with the news."

Kirihara and everyone else stared at him.

"Sanada, did you just say what we heard you say?" asked Niou.

"Echizen can't possibly be dead, right?" Kirihara laughed nervously.

Renji Yanagi took a deep breath and exhaled.

"Since its Sanada, this must be true. And the fact that Atobe was told by Tezuka makes it even more real." He said.

Kirihara punched the wall next to him.

He still had a score to settle with Echizen and now this happened?

Jackal laid a hand on Kirihara's shoulder as comfort.

Niou was now dumbfounded.

How could the kid die so young?

"Just goes to show that death chooses no one. It definitely doesn't choose any age too." Hiroshi Yagyuu said.

Marui couldn't even lift the doughnut he was holding.

"I'll call the flower shop and order flowers. Knowing Atobe, he and everyone else would be visiting later." Yukimura said as he left the room.

Marui looked at his teammates and sighed.

Jackal left to oversee the practice of the non-regulars.

Niou instinctively went with him.

Kirihara went to the showers and soaked himself through.

Even if he wasn't close to Ryoma, that kid helped him changed.

Because of Ryoma, Kirihara had overcome his old tennis and had enjoyed playing with his teammates.

Tears ran down his face as the water ran though his body.

Sanada stared out the window, wondering why this all happened.

The kid didn't deserve to die so young.

He knew that Echizen had dreamed of going to the top of the world as a tennis player.

Now all those were gone.

"The kid had touched so many people. And yet, he was taken away from those people so early." Marui thought out aloud.

"Just goes to show that life isn't fair." Sanada said.

Yukimura came back and looked a little better but still was in sorrow.

"Echizen truly was great. He conquered so many walls that had been placed in front of him and he fought so many to be where he was." Yukimura spoke softly.

They could hear Kirihara sobbed in the showers.

Marui went to comfort him.

"Hey Sanada, do you think that many people will be there later?"

Sanada didn't look at him but nodded.

"Knowing Echizen, he had fought many players, changed so many views and touched so many lives, not to mention, pissing off so many people along the way. That was his way of gaining friends, I think. Unconsciously, he didn't know the effect he had on other people."

Yukimura nodded in agreement.

Echizen was truly something different.

He was special in his own way.

"I may never get to repay him for the lose he gave me during the Kanto Tournament." Sanada said as he turned to Yukimura.

"You may never will now. But then again, he gave you something to remember him by. Just like me." Yukimura smiled angelically.

Yes, the kid gave them all something to always remember him by.

And no matter where they go, they will remember that, once upon a time, they had known someone like Ryoma Echizen.


	11. Masterpieces Can Shatter

After getting off the phone, Aoi-sensei looked so crushed.

Hiyoshi of Hyotei told her about Echizen's death and she just stood there.

She recalled the first time she had met the young boy, by the steps to the Kanto Tournament.

She remembered asking him to become one of her 'masterpieces'.

And, she clearly remembered what he told her.

FLASHBACK

"If I reach perfection, then that would mean the end, right?" Ryoma told her and went up the stairs.

After defeating Reiji, she congratulated him herself.

"But a lose is still a lose right?" he asked her, smiling.

END OF FLASHBACK

Yes, and because of that lose, they all worked harder.

Kajimoto came into her office and saw her staring out the window.

"Hanamura-sensei? Are you alright?" he asked her.

She turned to him and he saw that she wasn't.

"Kindly gather the regulars here. I have received word from Hyotei and I wish to have everyone here." She spoke, trembling.

Kajimoto nodded and quickly left the office.

Aoi was now thinking of a way to tell them that Ryoma was gone.

Reiji was looking forward to facing Echizen again.

She immediately called a flower shop and order a dozen chrysanthemums.

After ten minutes, everyone was there.

They could sense the atmosphere was thick and that bad news was heading their way.

"Sensei is everything ok?" asked Reiji.

Everyone was looking at her, with worry in their eyes.

"What did Hyotei want, Hanamura-sensei?" asked Kajimoto.

"Hyotei Gakuen called you, sensei?" asked Youhei.

"What news did they share to you, sensei?" added Kouhei, the twin.

The air was getting cold, everyone could feel it.

"Hyotei's Hiyoshi called up to share that Echizen Ryoma of Seigaku had pass away this morning." She said.

Silence fell on them like a waterfall.

"Echizen passed away?" Wakato repeated.

They're coach nodded.

"What happened?" asked Oota.

"They were not informed in detail of the incident. However, they did tell me that they will be visiting Echizen later." She told them.

"And I have a feeling every other team will be there too." Exclaimed Daichi.

Again, Aoi just nodded.

It was a good call to have ordered the flowers when Kajimoto left.

She knew that they would want to visit Echizen as soon as possible.

Reiji had his head down.

He recalled the last time he had faced Ryoma is an official match.

He had lose to him but the lose made him work harder.

Kajimoto remembered how Ryoma had changed his entire team.

He had made them work harder to improve themselves and not bound their thought to perfection.

Reiji stood up and went to the court.

He began hitting balls for no apparent reason.

He imagined that Echizen was on the other side, waiting for him to serve.

Reiji had developed his skills further in order to give Echizen back the lose he gave him the last time.

Now, he could never do that.

The kid had died and left everyone.

Everyone that he had played a match against with.

Everyone that he gave a lose to.

Lastly, Echizen had left everyone to mourn for a loss of a brother, a son, a teammate, and a friend.

Kajimoto saw Reiji and understood how he felt.

Wakato felt bad, knowing that a great opponent like him had come to death's terms at an early age.

"Death chooses no age." Spoke Kouhei.

"Death chooses no one." Added Youhei.

"And death leaves a painful mark on the people that are left alive." Hanamura said.

They all know that Reiji felt bad about Echizen's death.

He had change Reiji in ways that none of the others could understand.

"I wish that I was given the same opportunity that Reiji was given." Wakato said.

Daichi and Oota nodded.

"To have fought against Echizen would be a great honor." Kajimoto added.

The rest nodded.

Seeing Reiji change before them after battling Echizen was something they envied.

That boy had changed them all in more ways than one.

"Echizen, I will claim that rematch with you in the afterlife." Reiji said out loud.

Aoi-sensei got ready for the afternoons practice.

She planned to end it early so that they could go visit Echizen.

Sadness was written across her face.

She was disappointed that Ryoma had turned her down.

But his death caused her to be sorrowful.

Echizen Ryoma's existence made everyone he had contact with see the world in a new way.

She was sad that she wouldn't be able to see him again.

Ryoma was truly a work of art.

And she looked out the window, up at the sky.

"Even at your departure, you still make everyone feel this way." She said.

Ryoma was already a masterpiece, molded by experience and friends.

She was looking forward to the event that coming afternoon.


	12. Soaring Spirits Can Crash

After saying goodbye, Saeki left the racket workshop and faced his teammates.

Though he was still in shock about hearing what Oshitari had told him, Saeki knew it was up to him to tell the others.

"Saeki-senpai? Are you alright? You don't look so good." Kentaro said as Saeki entered the courts.

The others turned and saw that Saeki was troubled about something.

"Everyone, I just received word from Hyotei than Ryoma Echizen is dead." Saeki immediately blurted out.

Everyone was at a standstill.

Kentaro couldn't move.

He felt like he was suddenly frozen in thick ice.

"Saeki, did you just say that Echizen is dead?" asked Kurobane.

Saeki nodded.

"Tezuka had called Atobe and for some reason, Atobe called every team that had fought Seigaku in the past." He explained.

"Saeki-senpai! This not a funny joke and I refuse to believe it!" said the freshman captain.

They all knew how fond Kentaro was of Ryoma.

He had never met a freshman that was regular like himself.

He had fought Ryoma in an official match and was very pleased to have lose to the Pillar of Seigaku.

Davide didn't speak.

He couldn't think a pun to say, neither did he want to.

Ryou Kisarazu looked at Saeki and knew that he was serious.

"Kentaro, I don't think that Saeki is joking." Shudo said.

Kentaro shook his head.

"No! It's a bad joke that Hyotei played! Echizen-kun is not dead!" Kentaro yelled before running out the court.

Everyone understood why he felt that way.

Kentaro was deeply fascinated with Seigaku's freshman and because Kentaro had common qualities with him.

Kurobane went to the workshop to call a flower shop.

Davide and Ryou went with him.

Saeki ran after Kentaro.

He found the freshman by the swings, tears falling down his face.

"Senpai, it couldn't be true. Echizen-kun couldn't have dead." Kentaro said.

This crushed Saeki.

"I know that it seems unbelievable but it is the truth. Hyotei called up the other schools and informed them of the news. Everyone will surely be there later." Saeki spoke softly.

Kentaro quickly wiped his tears away.

"I want to go. I want to see for myself, senpai." the boy said.

Saeki nodded and led him back to the courts.

When they got back, everyone was waiting for them.

They had to leave now to catch the bus going to Echizen's place.

They all got ready and left.

Oji was quiet the whole time.

He knew they would decide to visit without him suggesting it.


	13. How Far Can Rhythm Take You?

Tachibana was lost for words.

He did not expect to hear what Choutaro told him.

His sister, Ann, saw him looking shocked and in grief.

She quickly ran to where Kamio was standing with Ibu.

She told them about her brother and asked if they knew something.

"Knowing taicho, we will be told later if it is something important." Kamio said confidently.

Ibu nodded in agreement.

Tachibana came out after a few more minutes.

The regulars gathered around him.

"Is there something troubling you, Tachibana-taicho?" asked Ishida.

Tachibana looked at them in the eyes.

They could see hurt and pain in their captain's eyes.

"I just got a call from Choutaro of Hyotei." He began.

"What could Hyotei want from us?" asked Kamio.

"They called to bring bad news. It's about Seigaku's Ryoma Echizen." Tachibana's voice was starting to tremble.

"The ambidextrous Echizen?" Ibu asked.

Tachibana nodded.

"It seems that Echizen had passed away this morning. Tezuka had called Atobe and informed him. Atobe had taken the liberty to call everyone else and tell them the news."

"If we leave now, we can still catch the train. I'm sure everyone else will be there." Sakurai said.

They looked at their watches and nodded.

Tachibana ended the practice early and then the regulars left.

They went to the flower shop Tachibana had called and got the flowers.

"Death really is mean." Kamio said.

"He took the kid way too soon." Ishida added.

"Did Choutaro-kun say anything on how Echizen died?" Ann asked her brother.

The rest turned to look at their captain.

He simply shook his head.

"Tezuka didn't go into detail. Which means, they too didn't know how Echizen Ryoma died?" Tachibana explained.

"I wonder how Momoshiro took the news." Ann asked absentmindedly.

"What do you mean Ann-chan?" Kamio asked.

"Momoshiro and Ryoma were very close. He told me once that he would always pick up Ryoma and they would go to school together." She told them.

"He must be devastated." Was all Tachibana said.

As they made their way to the train station, no one spoke a word.

They all recalled how Echizen had played against them and defeated them.

Then it struck them altogether.

Echizen was going to be in their memories.

He was really gone and it felt so cold.

"This sucks." Ibu said before they all looked out for the train.


	14. Mr. Manager, Did You Know?

Mizuki would have loved to slam the phone down.

Hiyoshi wasn't nice to talk to.

Besides, he already knew about Echizen.

Earlier this morning...

Yuuta came running to the locker room and was in a hurry to talk to him.

"Yuuta, what is this news that you want to tell me? Can't it wait until later?" Mizuki asked.

"No, Mizuki-san! This is really important." He said in between his breathing.

"What could be more important than gathering news about Seigaku's new line up?" the senior said confidently.

Yuuta paused to try and find the right words to inform them about Echizen's death.

Atsushi Kisarazu stared at Yuuta; pain was creeping into his visage.

"Yuuta, take a deep breath first. Then tells us the news you bring." He told his teammate.

Yuuta nodded and took a deep breath then slowly exhaled.

"My brother was told that Ryoma Echizen had died this morning." Yuuta spoke quickly but clearly.

No one dared to speak.

Mizuki stared at Yuuta.

"Echizen-kun? Is dead?" he asking with a trembling voice.

Yuuta slowly nodded.

Shinya Yanagisawa fell back down on the floor of the locker room.

"The brat died, dane?" he asked.

"Yes, Echizen-kun is dead! How many times do you all have to hear that?" Mizuki lashed out before leaving the locker room.

The Captain, Yoshirou Akazawa, stood up and looked at everyone with eyes filled with sorrow.

"Kaneda, call up the nearest flower shop. Order a dozen chrysanthemums. I'm guessing all the other teams will be visiting as well."

Kaneda nodded and quickly left the locker room.

Yuuta fell back down on the bench and was in the brink of tears.

Ryoma had helped him break through the walls he had built against his brother, Syusuke.

"He never got the chance to properly thank him for the big help.

Atsushi took out his phone.

He was looking for his twin's number.

He wanted to ask if Rokkakku already knew about Echizen.

"Hello? Ryou, how are you? Have you heard?" he began.

"If this is about Echizen Ryoma, then yes. We already know. Hyotei called us up." The voice of the other side said.

"Well, if that's the case, then we'll be seeing everyone there later then."

"Yeah, see you late," replied his brother.

"I'm guessing everyone already knows by now. Hyotei called up everyone." Atsushi spoke.

"We better get ready then." Said their Captain.

The rest nodded and when to their lockers.

Yuuta slowly stood up to get ready as well.

He took the liberty of fixing Mizuki's things then took care of his own.

All the while, he kept thinking.

"Why did Kami-sama take him away so soon?" he asked himself

Yuuta knew he would never get the answer to that.

He just focused on getting ready.

They were in for a very emotional night.


	15. The Monster of the Tennis Court and the Look-Alike

After getting off the phone with Ryo of Hyotei, Dan froze in front of Banji's table.

The old man came and saw that the freshman had been lost in thought.

"Taichi, are you alright?" asked the coach.

When Taichi Dan turned to face his coach, tears were falling down from his eyes.

"Taichi, what happened? Why are you crying?" Banji pulled the crying boy into his arms.

Taichi sobbed in the old man's chest.

"Sensei... Echizen-kun is dead." He said in between sobs.

Banji froze with the boy in his arms.

"Ryoma Echizen of Seigaku?" he asked.

"Taichi only nodded and began crying again.

Just then, Sengoku came into the office and found a very thick atmosphere of grief and sorrow.

"Banji-sensei? Is everything alright?" the young man asked.

When he got closer, he saw Taichi crying.

"Eh? Taichi? Why are you crying? Did something happen?" Sengoku asked again.

The freshman looked up at his senpai and ran to his arms.

"Sengoku-senpai... Echizen-kun..." he could say it anymore.

The senpai was confused.

"Echizen-kun? Seigaku's freshman?"

Taichi nodded.

"Did something happen to him?"

The boy nodded again.

Sengoku thought carefully.

Something really bad must have happened to make Taichi cry this much.

The junior turned to look at his coach.

"Sensei, can you tell me what happened?"

Banji slowly nodded.

"Sengoku, Ryoma Echizen of Seigaku is dead." The old man spoke slowly.

Now, Sengoku froze.

He didn't expect that it was that bad.

Banji stood up to call a flower shop.

Taichi was still sobbing in Sengoku's chest.

The junior gently held the freshman.

He knew what he felt.

Then he thought of the Seigaku tennis team.

"They must be devastated, especially Momoshiro-kun." Sengoku spoke softly.

Dan slowly looked up at his senpai, looking confused.

"Momoshiro and Ryoma were very close friends. I see them often at a burger joint after school." He explained.

When Banji came back, he was feeling a bit more relaxed yet he felt really sad.

"Taichi, please call the other regulars and tell them about Echizen. We will leave in an hour. I am very sure that the other teams will be there as well." The old man said.

Sengoku stood up instead.

"Taichi, try and get a hold of Akatsu. I'm sure he will not want to be left out in this whole thing. I will tell everyone else." He said and left.

Taichi nodded and ran to the telephone.

He called up Jin's home and was in luck that Jin answered.

"Akatsu-senpai, this is Taichi. I have bad news to tell you." The boy began.

"Bad news? What is it about?" the voice on the other line sounded cold and uncaring.

Jin was always like that.

Taichi was already used to his manners and personality.

"Senpai, Echizen-kun is dead. Hyotei called us and said that Tezuka-san told Atobe-san about it." The boy said

Silence.

"Akatsu-senpai? Are you still there?" Taichi asked.

The last thing he heard was the phone clicking.

"He hang up on me, Sensei." Taichi said, saddened.

The old man tried to smile a little.

"Don't worry, Taichi. He will surely be there later." He reassured the boy.

Taichi simply nodded and went to get ready.

Banji looked out the window and saw the other regulars' reaction.

They all ran to the locker room to get ready.

He knew that Ryuzaki must be heartbroken.

They all were.

The boy had everyone in the palm of his hands.


	16. Can the Ecstasy Numb the Pain of a Lose?

After Atobe finished talking to Shiraishi, Shitenhoji's captain took a minute to grasp everything he just heard.

He didn't know how to tell everyone else.

And he didn't know how Kintaro would react to it.

He knew how much Echizen mattered to their special freshman.

FLASHBACK

At half pass twelve noon, Shiraishi's phone rang.

"Hello? He said.

"Kuranosuke Shiraishi, it's me Atobe Keigo of Hyotei."

"Oh yes, Atobe-san. What can I do for you?

"I called to inform you that Tezuka Kunimitsu of Seigaku had informed me of a terrible news." He began.

"And what news would that be? It must be very terrible that we are being told of it." Shiraishi said.

"Yes, it is. It is about Ryoma Echizen."

"What? Did something happen to him?"

Shiraishi heard Atobe inhaled deeply and exhaled.

"Echizen is dead. Tezuka called and said that he died this morning. If you want to visit, I'll have my private charter come and pick you up."

Atobe was offering to pick them up, strange.

"Yes, that will be very nice of you. Thank you. We will be waiting then." Shiraishi said before the call ended.

END OF FLASHBACK

He had already ordered flowers for Echizen.

Now, the rest of the regulars were approaching him, laughing and joking around.

It was Gin who noticed Shiraishi's nervousness first.

As they were standing in front of their Captain, Shiraishi had his back on them.

"Everyone, I just received word from Keigo Atobe of Hyotei."

Koharu adjusted his glass.

"Keigo Atobe of Hyotei. The man you leads two hundred tennis members and lives a very care free life."

"Yes, that Atobe." His voice began to tremble.

"Ne, Shiraishi, are you alright?" Kintaro asked.

Shiraishi stiffened.

"Atobe informed me that Ryoma Echizen of Seigaku had..."

Kintaro looked up, beaming.

"Eh? Koshimae? Did he win another tournament abroad? Geez, I really envy him a lot." He said happily.

Koharu, Yuuji, Chitose, and Kenya chuckled.

Kintaro always spoke highly of Ryoma.

This made things harder for Shiraishi.

"No, Kintaro. He didn't win another tournament. Actually, Atobe called to say that Echizen died this morning."

The smile on Kintaro's face disappeared.

Then the kid laughed.

"That's very funny, Shiraishi. Koshimae couldn't die. He's as old as I am, right? What did Hyotei's king really tell you?" he said.

Shiraishi punched his fist on the table.

"Shiraishi, you're actually serious then. Echizen Ryoma is really dead?" asked Chitose.

They're Captain nodded.

Anger began to appear on Kintaro's face.

"That's a lie, Shiraishi! Take it back! Koshimae can't be dead! He promised me that we'll play again!" Kintaro went into a tantrum.

Yuuji and Zaizen tried to calm him down.

"Taicho, how did Echizen-kun die?" asked Koharu.

"He didn't give me the details. All I know is that we have to get ready. He sent his private charter to pick us up. The flowers I ordered is on its way by now." Shiraishi said.

He couldn't look at his teammates.

Kintaro was now crying in Gin's shoulder.

"Koshimae! How could you? You promised!" he yelled in between tears.

They all got ready and waited for the charter.

All the while, thinking how Ryoma Echizen suddenly just left them all.


	17. The Okinawan Respect

After Kite bid Atobe goodbye and thanked him for the offer, he gathered what amount of courage he could muster and went to face him team.

He had already ordered flowers and the charter plane was coming in half an hour.

"Everyone, I may some news to share." Kite spoke.

The regulars gathered around him and wondered what he wanted to say.

"I want everyone to get ready. In thirty minutes, Atobe's plane will be picking us up."

"What's wrong Kite? Why are we being picked up by Hyotei's plane?" asked Kai.

The rest wanted to know too.

He took a deep breath and sighed.

"Seigaku's Echizen Ryoma has passed away this morning," he said.

The regulars lost their voices.

Tanishi Kei was in shock.

"The chibi died?" he asked.

Kite nodded.

"T-that sucks!" Rin exclaimed.

"I know. Now, go and get ready. Atobe had also informed me that every school that fought Seigaku will be there."

"They better be!" Kei said as she ran to the locker room to get ready.

He knew that they won't fully understand why he felt the way he did.

But for those who got the chance to have fought Ryoma, it was an experience of a life time.

Something that no one could ever buy.

Half an hour later, the charter came and Higa found Shitenhoji in it already.

They saw their freshman crying in the arms of their power player.

Ryoma Echizen was really something.

He had changed everyone without noticing himself.

He affected everyone with his views and unconsciously helped everyone change for the better.

"Such a special boy, that Echizen." Kite said to himself.

Shiraishi and everyone turned to Kite.

They knew he was right.

Ryoma was very special.

And they were very sad that he had left them all too soon.


	18. Even On The Other Side of The World

Atobe had made a great effort to call up everyone.

When Oshitari finished talking to Bill Cassidy of the American Team, the young man quickly called Kevin and the others.

After an hour, they were all in Bill's apartment.

"This better be good, Bill. I'm missing my football show for this." Said Bobby Max.

He was a bit nervous and wondered how they would take the news.

Kevin remained quiet, waiting for Bill to spill.

Tom and Terry looked at Bill and wondered why he was restless.

"I just got a call from Atobe Keigo's vice captian, Oshitari Yushi.."

"The Japanese player we played against?" asked Michael Lee.

"Yes, that guy. Right now, it must be one in the afternoon in Japan. And he told me that his private charter will be here in an hour to pick us up." He told them.

"We're going to Japan? Why so sudden?" asked Terry.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news but Ryoma Echizen is dead. I was just told an hour ago and called you guys up."

No one spoke a word.

Kevin had his eyes wide as a tennis balls.

"Say that again, Ryoma is what?" Kevin asked.

"Kevin, Ryoma is dead. And we're being offered a free ride to Japan and back." Bill explained.

The rest turned to look at Kevin.

His eyes was full of anger and sorrow.

Even Bobby couldn't believe what Bill just said.

"The little special one died, eh." Tom said with a sorrowful tone.

Kevin got up and when to the bathroom.

They watched him stumble his way and heard the door slam shut.

The next thing they heard was his screams.

They couldn't blame Kevin if he was mad.

When Ryoma had attended the U.S. Open, he and Kevin became really good friends.

Michael, Bobby and the Griffy brothers got to know the freshman well and enjoyed his company.

But now, the news of Echizen's death was really a shocker for them.

"He was so young." Terry said.

"So innocent and care free," Tom added.

Bobby and Michael nodded.

After half an hour, Kevin came out with red eyes, he cried in the bathroom the whole time.

"Where will the charter be picking us up? We'll buy flowers when we get there." Kevin spoke and they all nodded.

Bill drove them to the airport and just as they got there, the charter was waiting for them.

A tall guy was there too.

When they got closer, they saw an older looking Ryoma.

Michael, Bobby, Bill and the Griffy's were in shock.

Why did the guy look like Echizen?

They thought the same thing.

"You must be Ryoga Echizen, Ryoma's brother." Kevin said as he got into the plane.

"Ryoma had a brother?" Bill asked.

"Our deepest and most sincere sympathy for your lose." Michael said.

Ryoga simply nodded and looked out the window.

He was still in denial yet he knew that everything Atobe told him was true.

"How did you find out?" Kevin asked the older Echizen when their plane took off.

Ryoga sighed then turned to face the American Team.

"I got a call from Keigo Atobe..." He began.


	19. The Woe of a Brother

Ryoga sighed then turned to face the American Team.

"I got a call from Keigo Atobe..." He began.

"I was taking my afternoon run when my phone rang. I do not know how that guy got my number... but for reason, I'm glad he did. After asking him who he was, he told me about what had happen to Ryoma. At first I couldn't believe it. But when I got back to my apartment, there was a message on my answering machine and it was from my dad. He said that Ryoma had died in his sleep and mom found him when he didn't come down to breakfast." He said in one breathing.

Then they all were quiet.

They wondered how he felt about his brother's death.

Ryoma had told Kevin that he was never really that close to Ryoga but he still was his older brother.

Though they didn't get along at time, Ryoma still looked up to him.

Ryoga felt so angry that his brother passed away.

He never thought that something like that would happen to Ryoma.

Ryoga regretted having fought with his chibisuke before he went to America.

They never really talked after it.

They were civil though.

But to think that they were brothers yet they acted like strangers to each other was something that Ryoga couldn't forgive himself.

"Ryoma, wherever you are now, I'm sorry." Ryoga thought.

He wished that he could have talked to his brother before he died.

He wished that he could tease and hug him one more time.

Ryoga wished that he could turn back time, just to see Ryoma laugh and chase him around the house.

He wished hard but he knew that his wish would never come true.


	20. A Mother's Love and Acceptance

It was a sunny Thursday morning.

I was busy making breakfast while Nanjirou was at the temple.

It was almost seventy-twenty.

Ryoma still hadn't come down to eat.

I was being to feel a little worried.

Ryoma should have been down and eating his meal already.

I decided to go up and check on him.

I hope he wasn't sick.

I knew he would still insist on going to school even with a fever.

Outside his door, I knocked softly.

"Ryoma? Are you awake yet?" I asked.

No answer.

"It's already seven-twenty. You friend Momoshiro would be here in a minute." I said.

Still no reply.

"That's it Ryoma, I'm coming in." I announced as I turned the knob.

When I pushed open the door, I saw that he was still in bed.

"Ryoma, you are going to be late for school." I told him as I opened his window.

When I turned to look at him, I knew something was wrong.

His skin was very pale and seemed like he wasn't breathing.

"Ryoma? Are alright?" I asked as I came closer to him.

When I touched his arm, he was cold.

And I knew he was gone.

I fell back down on the floor and screamed as loud as I can.

"NO! Ryoma! Nanjirou! Come quick!" I yelled.

When my husband got there, he ran to me first.

"Rinko, what happened?" he asked me.

I was already crying.

"N-najirou... Ryoma...Look at Ryoma." I told him, tears ran down my eyes.

I watched him touch our son's arm and pulled it back as if he was electrocuted.

"Ryoma? No...Ryoma! Wake up!" he held Ryoma's shoulders.

That was when I saw my son's face.

He looked at peace.

As if he knew that his time was up.

This made me feel worse.

My own son, died before I did.

I had never thought this would happen.

I slowly stood up and Nanjirou turned to me.

"You better go outside and wait for Momoshiro to come." I told him as I pulled Ryoma's blanket to his neck.

Nanjirou slowly nodded and went out.

I gently stroked his dark green hair.

"Ryoma, how time flew by so fast. You were so young then. A mere baby. Now you're all grown up." I told him softly.

My son Ryoma was a very sweet boy.

Shy and quiet but very special, just like his father.

Then I went out and closed the door.

I needed to prepare and clean the house.

I knew that Ryoma's friends would all be there later.

After Nanjirou came back in, he called the Coroner and they came.

They took my baby's body with them.

I insisted on staying at home.

Nanjirou then came back at three in the afternoon, with Ryoma's ashes.

We shall get ready for his friends then." I said.

Nanako was still crying.

I held back my tears.

Ryoma never wanted to see me cry.

And until the end, no matter how painful, I will never cry.

As I entered the living room, I saw Ryoma's blown up photo.

I ran my fingers through his cheek.

"Sleep well, Ryoma. Good Night." I whispered and kissed his forehead.


End file.
